The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) (or colloquially as the National Registry) is a US based, non-profit, non-governmental certification organization for pre-hospital emergency medical providers that exists to ensure that emergency medical services (EMS) professionals have the knowledge and skills required for competent practice. As an accredited national certification body, the National Registry reduces the burden of examination development for state EMS agencies. By providing a single standardized assessment, it ensures consistency across the nation, eliminating the need for multiple state-specific standards. Through validating the knowledge, skills, and competency of EMS professionals and providing a uniform standard across states for emergency medical care, at its core, the National Registry is focused on public safety. As the Nation’s Emergency Medical Services Certification organization, the National Registry is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accreditation body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. The National Registry maintains NCCA accreditation for each of the four certification programs: Emergency Medical Responder (NREMR), Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (NRAEMT), and Paramedic (NRP). Credentialing protects the public, assures consumers that professionals have met standards of practice, advances the EMS profession, and establishes standards of professional knowledge, skills, and practice.
History Established in 1970 in response to President Lyndon Johnson's Committee on Highway Traffic Safety recommendation of creating a national certification agency to set uniform standards for training and examining emergency ambulance personnel. The organization has set and maintained uniform certification and recertification requirements, actively participated in national projects, and contributed to improving EMS standards by engaging in major committees. National Standard Curriculum as defined by the Department of Transportation - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Timeline of Key Events More than five decades ago, President Lyndon Johnson’s Committee on Highway Traffic Safety recommended creating a national certification agency to set uniform standards for training and examining emergency ambulance personnel. In 1966, the report Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society highlighted the epidemic of accidental injury, which led to the establishment of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) in 1970. Since its founding, the NREMT has maintained uniform certification and recertification requirements, participated in national initiatives, and contributed to improving emergency medical services (EMS) standards through national collaboration.
Pre-1970 1966 – Publication of Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, which highlighted major deficiencies in prehospital emergency care and called for national standards. 1969 – President Johnson’s Committee on Highway Traffic Safety recommends creation of a national certification agency. The American Medical Association Commission on EMS appoints a task force led by Oscar P. Hampton Jr., M.D., to explore formation of a national registry.
1970s 1970 – The task force holds its first meeting to draft bylaws and address governance and funding. The group becomes the NREMT Board of Directors, with Roddy A. Brandes elected as first Chair. 1971 – Rocco V. Morando is appointed founding Executive Director. The first national EMT-Ambulance examination is administered to 1,520 candidates at 51 test sites. 1973 – The first recertification of a Nationally Registered EMT is processed. 1974 – NREMT convenes national experts to develop guidelines for the emerging paramedic curriculum. 1975 – Continuing education requirements established for EMT-Ambulance and EMT-Non-Ambulance personnel. NREMT assists in founding the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). 1978 – First NREMT-Paramedic examination administered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NREMT joins the National Commission for Health Certifying Agencies (now the Institute for Credentialing Excellence).
1980s 1981 – The NREMT dedicates its new headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. 1986 – The United States Department of Defense issues Directive 6000.10 requiring EMT-Ambulance certification for military technicians. 1988 – Executive Director Rocco V. Morando retires; the headquarters building is renamed the Rocco V. Morando Building. 1989 – William E. Brown Jr. becomes the second Executive Director. The new EMT-Basic category combines previous EMT-Ambulance and EMT-Non-Ambulance levels.
1990s 1996 – NREMT contributes to the EMS Agenda for the Future project led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO). 1998 – Launch of the Longitudinal EMT Attributes and Demographics Study (LEADS). 1999 – Adoption of NREMT’s first mission statement: “To certify and register EMS professionals throughout their careers by a valid and uniform process to assess the knowledge and skills for competent practice.”
2000s 2003 – All five NREMT certification programs receive accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). 2007 – Transition to computer-based testing using computer-adaptive testing (CAT), improving efficiency and test security. 2009 – Online recertification system implemented and new practice-analysis study completed.
2010s 2010 – A record 140,686 candidates complete NREMT examinations. NASEMSO formally recognizes NREMT as the national EMS certification body. 2013 – Executive Director William E. Brown Jr. retires; Severo Rodriguez becomes third Executive Director. 2017 – Georgia becomes the tenth state to join the Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice through the United States EMS Compact. 2018 – Bill Seifarth becomes fifth Executive Director; the number of certified EMS clinicians surpasses 400,000.
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